COMMONS Speaker Michael Martin's wife kept a taxi waiting while she did her supermarket shopping and then claimed it on expenses, it emerged today.

The revelation is likely to raise fresh questions over her use of taxpayers' cash, but Mr Martin and his wife Mary were cleared today of any wrongdoing by the parliamentary sleaze watchdog.

Standards Commissioner John Lyon said more than [pounds]4,000 spent on taxis by Mrs Martin over four years was "reasonable" and within the rules.

The House of Commons Standards and Privileges Committee backed the decision to disregard the concerns of the TaxPayers' Alliance.

But the disclosure that she kept a taxi waiting at a supermarket will surprise many ...